NBA 2009-2010 Season Thread

[ConcernedParent]

I think they will. Lakers in 6 though.

 

[sho'nuff]

lakers are in trouble. if history repeats itself, it is the lakers going up 3-1, and then the suns winning every game thereafter.

i hate history.

 

[Brothersport]

Not much to be said about this game that hasn't been said. Zone was effective, but I thought Lakers did a decent job in the 1st half, but couldn't hit the shots (inside and out). Afterwards, the Suns either tightened it or LA tried too hard with the 3s (probably both).

Never has an NBA player been as skillful with the left hand and yet as tactless shooting with the right hand as Lamar Odom.

Box score notes: Dragic had 1 assist, Hill had 3 assists, and Nash had 15 assists. The Suns had 19 assists. Kobe's +/- was -12!

I don't expect the zone to work nearly as well next game. I'm actually very surprised Phil didn't break it in the 2nd half. Looked like Coach K/Duke playing against zone out there. Nasty.

 

[embowafa]

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

lakers are in trouble. if history repeats itself, it is the lakers going up 3-1, and then the suns winning every game thereafter.

i hate history.

Huh? You're kidding, right?

It was the Lakers vs. Los Refs tonight. 20-3 1st half freethrows is ridic.

Lakers in 5.

 

[B Hamilton]

Originally Posted by chronoaug

I mean, it's tough when your two best players/leaders are also your two worst defenders. It's funny how people pretend that defense isn't 50% of the game. I mean, nash is an amazing offensive player, and probably the best shooter in the nba not to mention a passing machine. But he's completely miserable on defense. As a complete player he's only about average though i understand it doesn't work like that. Definitely somthing to think about that and i don't think it's a coincidence or injustice that he hasn't won a title for that reason. It's just not in his nature, nor does he have the body, or right type of athleticism (he's athletic but not in a way that translates to defense as much), and doesn't have the desire/work ethic to play top notch defense. He has to expend a lot on the offensive end so it's understandable he doesn't have as much to work with on defense (especially with his age) but still an interesting concept. Lots of offensive studs throughout nba history who weren't good defensive players, tmac, vince, dominique, dirk (who is getting better though), ewing, etc....

idk if i agree with that. at one point he led all non centers in blocks. i saw his keep greats in check. as his star rose, he became more interested in offense.

 

[chronoaug]

I mean, amare gets blocks too but he's not a good defender. Larry hughes led the nba in steals or was top 2-3 for back to back seasons but wasn't a great defender. Gilbert the same thing.

Tmac had the size and athleticism but wasn't really a great defender ever. Like most superathletic guys like that, they can dial it up if motivated usually for a few possessions, maybe a quarter, maybe a game. But often it's not a consistent thing which is too bad. Then again, it's a huge mental and physical drain to be that kind of defender which is why you see lots of dedicated defensive stoppers on teams

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by embowafa

Huh? You're kidding, right?

It was the Lakers vs. Los Refs tonight. 20-3 1st half freethrows is ridic.

Lakers in 5.

yeah im kidding.


i guess.


im relegated to listening to the west. conf final games on the radio in the kitchen because my wife wants to watch her korean shows on tv in the living room.

 

[BDC2823]

Sho'Nuff: I know you like to flip flop but now is not the time for Lakers fans to do so.

 

[sho'nuff]

Originally Posted by BDC2823

Sho'Nuff: I know you like to flip flop but now is not the time for Lakers fans to do so.

yeah i know. i have a tendency to sort of concern too much for them right at around this time.


i guess the thing is, ive been seeing so many blowouts and sweeps in this year's playoffs that i automatically think that if the lakers lose one game, they are in huge trouble. (like keeping up with the joneses aka celtics)

i got to brush that thinking off.

 

[BDC2823]

Originally Posted by sho'nuff

yeah i know. i have a tendency to sort of concern too much for them right at around this time.


i guess the thing is, ive been seeing so many blowouts and sweeps in this year's playoffs that i automatically think that if the lakers lose one game, they are in huge trouble. (like keeping up with the joneses aka celtics)

i got to brush that thinking off.

They always seem to have a couple games like this where they plod around down 6-10 points the entire second half. Just when you think they're about to make a run, they take a bad 3, commit a turnover, etc. and are down 10 again. They never make that run and end up losing. They'll be fine though, but game 4 in Phoenix is a huge game. I really don't wanna see this going to 7 games knowing that in any given game the Suns offense can just go off.

 

[LawrenceMD]

Originally Posted by BDC2823

They always seem to have a couple games like this where they plod around down 6-10 points the entire second half. Just when you think they're about to make a run, they take a bad 3, commit a turnover, etc. and are down 10 again. They never make that run and end up losing. They'll be fine though, but game 4 in Phoenix is a huge game. I really don't wanna see this going to 7 games knowing that in any given game the Suns offense can just go off.

i have a feeling where kobe gets pissed after this game (36pts 11assists 9rebounds) and goes into pouting mode and gives up next game to teach everyone a lesson on how important he is. its classic sequelae for bryant... that has actually resulted in him losing whole series.

 

[RFX45]

Last night proved that Artest wasn't really in a slump, those 3's he chuckes up is really a liability. He missed a handful of open 3's and it just proves that he wasn't on a scoring slump, he just had a good few games when he made those 3's, a la Odom.

I really can't see Game 4 being that bad for the Lakers though. Defense were horrible on both sides I think, Amare still does nothing on defense but if he can't defend, he might as well score and he did just that.

The way the Lakers were playing last night, it felt like they should have been down by 20 though.

 

[Brothersport]

^ I thought Amare was a lot better on D last night. Gasol will still always get his, but Amare rotated well and boxed out very well. That was a big reason why Odom had little impact. Amare even rotated really quickly for a charge sometime!

A big reason that Nash and Amare were able to go off was that the Lakers' pick and roll D was not as effective. Nash sometimes doubled back and such, but Gasol played D a lot like Amare had been playing D in the 1st two games. I also don't think Artest's shooting was really a big deal. He was 0-4 in the 1st half while Odom was 1-9 or something like that, and missed a few threes when the Lakers were already down by 8-12. He was 4-11 and 2-7 on 3s. Not a good game, but neither of those will kill you. Put in perspective, Kobe was 2-8, Odom was 0-4, and Brown was 1-5 on 3s. About TMac's defense, I watched a lot of Houston the last few years, and TMac was by far their biggest liability. He literally NEVER closed out on open shooters. It was awful. And I love(d) TMac.

 

[chronoaug]

Yea, was funny when the suns were leaving artest open baiting him into shooting with him missing horribly

 

[Brothersport]

Same happened to Odom and Shannon Brown, and both of them had worse games from the field...